WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today joined 33 Senate and 26 House colleagues in a letter to congressional leaders highlighting important provisions included in the Senate-passed United States Innovation and Competition Act (USICA) to strengthen the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). The members called on leadership to incorporate these landmark provisions as both chambers consider legislation to improve U.S. competitiveness, especially against China.

Despite its statutory mission to “avoid undue concentration” of scientific research and education, the National Science Foundation (NSF) spends nearly half of its research and development (R&D) budget in six states plus the District of Columbia. Congress established the EPSCoR program to improve the competitiveness of institutions and researchers in jurisdictions that receive comparatively small amounts of R&D funding by setting aside funds to strengthen research capacity and capability. Today, 25 states and three territories qualify to participate, and five federal agencies have EPSCoR programs including the NSF, Department of Energy, Department of Agriculture, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and National Institutes of Health.

Specifically, these sections of USICA would require the NSF to allocate at least 20% of its annual funding to the EPSCoR program, including for the new Technology Directorate. It would also require NSF to make at least 20% of its STEM workforce awards to institutions located in EPSCoR jurisdictions including undergraduate scholarships, graduate fellowships and traineeships, postdoctoral awards, and other awards.

“We strongly support this approach and believe that it is necessary to leverage every state and community in the nation to remain globally competitive,” the members wrote. “With the robust investment in R&D funding included in the United States Innovation and Competition Act, this approach will continue to support states that traditionally receive a high amount of NSF research dollars while also supporting innovation in underserved regions.”

Members who joined Senator Capito in the letter, led by U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), to Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., include: Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., James Inhofe, R-Okla., Jack Reed, D-R.I.,  Christopher Coons, D-Del., Jerry Moran, R-Kan., Roger Marshall, R-Kan., Susan Collins, R-Maine, Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., Thomas Carper, D-Del., Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Jon Tester, D-Mont., Bill Cassidy, R-La., Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., Angus King, I-Maine, Tim Scott, R-S.C., Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, John Boozman, R-Ark., Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., Mike Rounds, R-S.D., James Risch, R-Idaho, Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, John Barrasso R-Wyo., Deb Fischer, R-Neb., Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Richard Shelby, R-Ala., Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and James Lankford, R-Okla. The letter also includes: Reps. David Cicilline, D-R.I., Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., Sharice Davids, D-Kan., Andy Barr, R-Ky., James  Langevin, D-R.I., Trent Kelly, R-Miss., Chris Pappas, D-N.H., Nancy Mace, R-S.C., Dina Titus, D-Nev., Jake LaTurner, R-Kan., Steven Horsford, D-Nev., Don Bacon, R-Neb., Teresa Leger Fernandez, D-N.M., Ron Estes, R-Kan., Chellie Pingree, D-Minn., Garret Graves, R-La., Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., Tracey Mann, R-Kan., Peter Welch, D-Vt., Ralph Norman, R-S.C., Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del., Don Young, R-Calif., Tom Rice, R-S.C., Hal Rogers, R-Ky., William Timmons, R-S.C., and Joe Wilson, R-S.C.

Find a copy of the letter HERE.

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